Insurance backed roofing guarantee, explained

The word guarantee covers more than one thing in roofing, and the difference matters. The first kind is a workmanship guarantee. It is a written promise from the firm that did the job: if the work fails because of how it was done, within a stated period, the firm will correct it. The firm alone is bound, so the promise is worth what the business is worth.

The second kind has an insurer standing behind it. Here, the firm still gives its promise, but a separate insurance policy sits behind it. The insurer, not just the roofer, has a duty to respond in the circumstances the policy lists. For you, the practical value is that the cover may continue even if the roofer is no longer around.

A good job comes first. Both kinds exist to deal with a fault that appears later. A third thing, a manufacturer's warranty on tiles or membrane, covers the product rather than the fitting, and should not be mistaken for either of the above.

This is the question that separates them. A plain workmanship guarantee depends on the firm continuing to exist. If it closes, is dissolved or simply disappears, there is nobody left to call. You may be able to pursue a claim against a company in liquidation, but that is slow and often brings little back.

A guarantee with an insurer behind it is designed for exactly that situation. Typically, if the firm becomes insolvent or ceases trading, you can claim directly against the insurer to have faults put right by another contractor, up to the limits in the policy. The detail differs from policy to policy, so the headline words tell you little.

To be clear about our own position, the 10-year workmanship guarantee from Skyline is a written promise from us and is not insurance backed. Knowing that lets you weigh it properly against any other quote you hold. If an insured guarantee matters to you, ask each firm for the policy wording and compare.

Ask for the full document, not a leaflet. Read it with a pen and look for these points.

• The start date, and the length of cover for different parts of the work.
• Exactly what is covered: workmanship only, or materials too.
• The exclusions, such as storm damage, lack of maintenance, alterations by others or misuse.
• Who you contact first, and whether you must report a fault in a set time.
• Whether the guarantee passes to a new owner if you sell.

Pay close attention to the word backed. Ask who the insurer is, whether the policy is held in the firm's name or yours, and what happens if the premium is not paid. A guarantee that promises insurance but cannot name the insurer is a warning sign.

Also look for caps. Some policies pay out up to a stated amount, and that amount may be less than the cost of the roof. If anything is unclear, write to the firm and ask for the answer in writing before you pay.

A roofing guarantee is not the same as your home insurance. Home insurance responds to events such as storms or accidental damage, subject to its terms, and it does not exist to fix a roofer's poor work. Our page on roof insurance cover explains how that works in plain terms, and nothing here promises that any claim will succeed.

Your legal rights sit alongside any guarantee. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, any roofer owes you reasonable care and skill in the job, and a guarantee does not remove that right. If the firm refuses to honour a written promise, you can still rely on the law, and our page on what to do about a bad roofer sets out the steps.

So a guarantee adds to your protection, it does not define it. The most useful question is not whether a guarantee exists, but what happens in the worst case, and who is left standing.

Usually it does, because someone pays the premium. A firm that buys cover may build that cost into its price. That is not unreasonable, since you are buying extra protection. The question is whether the protection suits your situation, and whether you can compare like with like.

When you compare two quotes, check that the guarantees are described in the same terms. A ten-year promise from one firm is not the same as a ten-year insured guarantee from another. Look at the total price, and whether VAT and scaffolding are counted in it, and what each guarantee actually covers. Our pages on the roofer day rate and the roofer deposit help you judge the rest of a quote.

If cost is the sticking point, our page on roofing finance looks at ways to spread the payment. Paying in instalments does not change a guarantee, but it can change what fits your budget.

Before you sign, ask a few direct questions and write down the answers.

• Is the guarantee in writing, and can I see it before I pay?
• Is there an insurer behind it, and what is its name?
• What happens to my guarantee if you stop trading?
• What is excluded, and how do I make a claim?
• Does it pass to a buyer if I sell the house?

A good firm answers these easily. Once the survey is done, Skyline Swindon Roofing sends you a written quote and survey photographs of your own roof, and the guarantee wording arrives on paper as well, ready to read before you decide. To talk it through, call, use WhatsApp or send the website form.